1. materials characteristic of baseball and the culture of baseball; 2. collectible baseball Americana
1945
Future Hall of Famer Joe Cronin of the Boston Red Sox breaks his leg running the bases. The injury will influence him to retire as a major league player. Cronin will continue to serve the Red Sox as their manager. He will also later serve as AL President.
1973
MLB owners approve one of the game’s most controversial rules: the designated hitter. The owners decide to allow American League teams to implement the rule on an experimental 3-year basis, but the rule becomes a permanent addition to the AL while the National League never adopts it.
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Continue readingOn This Day: January 11
1901
In the American League season opener at Detroit’s Bennett Park, the Tigers mount a monumental comeback to beat Milwaukee. Trailing 13-4 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Tigers scored 10 runs for a 14-13 victory.
1996
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is the unanimous choice as American League Rookie of the Year. He is the eighth Yankees player to win the award and the fifth unanimous choice in American League history.
1977 
Sparky Lyle becomes the first American League relief pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. Pitching for the New York Yankees, Lyle leads the league with 72 appearances, posting a 13-5 record with 26 saves and a 2.17 ERA.
1986
Don Baylor (who passed away last week) of the Boston Red Sox set an American League record when he was hit by a pitch for the 25th time for the season, breaking the record he had shared with Bill Freehan (1968) and Kid Elberfeld (1911). He would finish the season with 35 HBP’s.
